Sectional fire-box arch



April 12,1927. 1,624,199

L. S. ABBOTT i SECTIO'NAL FIRE ARCH Filed Nov. 9. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENTOR LYLE STOCKTOIYABBOTT Q 1 624,199 Ann] 12 1927' L. s. ABBOTT SECIIUNAL FIRE BOX ARCH Filed Nov. 9; 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i r g 5 5 4 I 'INVENTOI? v Lms srocxwu ABBOTT Patented Apr. '12, 1927.

UNiTED STATES PATIENT OFFICE.

LYLE srooxron ABBorT, or onreaeo, rrrir vors, assrenon 1 o cnrcneo man BRICK cor/man or CHICAGOQILLIHOQQA con ,ennrren. or rnninors.

SECTIONAL FIB-ETBOX ARCH,

Application filed November My invention relates to sectional fire box arches and more particularly to such arches employed in locomotive fire boxes or similar places.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide an arch of the above mentioned character wherein the arrangement of the fire bricks or refractory blocks is such that the same will readily accommodate themselves to variations in the spacing of the supporting; means andwherein the relative position of the blocks will vary to accommodate for expansion or contraction of the elementsof the arch due to change in temperature.

It isa further purpose of the invention to provide an arch which can be quickly and easily installedin alocomotive fire box without the necessity of any preparatory work being" done on the fire box andwhich can be easily andcheaply repaired due to, the fact that the parts can be readily removed,- and replaced.

It is another purpose of the invention to provide an arch of the above mentioned character, arts of. which can be readily removed to afford easy access to various portions of the fire box for examination and repair. In locomotive practice, it is common to remove certain portions of the arch at frequent intervals to inspect certain portions of the interior of the fire. box. As the ordinary form of arch is of such a construction that the blocks or bricks are frequently damaged in removal, it is highly important that the arch be so constructed that the elements thereof can be readily removed when this is desired for roundhouse inspection purposes.

It is another purpose of the invention to provide an arch in a fire box that is of such a form that the same will assist in the mixing of the fire box gases and the heat thereof so as to improve the combustion of said. gases, The form of the arch forming the subject matter of my invention is such that. a very large area is presented to the gases and as the refractory materialisat a high heat, this aids in bringingthe gases to the propercombustion temperature.

It is particularly a purpose of my invention to provide an arch construction wherein the refractory members are arranged in. transverse rows supported on longitudinally extending. supporting me m 9,, 1925. Serial No. 67,916.

hers, each row of refractory members compr s ng a plurality of members between each adjo pair of supporting members supportedat; the remote ends upon said supporting members and pivotally connected at their adjeiningends, This pivotal connection is preferably made by means of a third refractory member thatv also acts as a key Inenrberto support the arch-like construe.- tion between each of the supporting members at its center.

Other objects and advantagesof the invention will appear as the description of the acc mp ny ng d a ings proceeds. Ho ever, I" desire to have it distinctly understood that Ido not intend to limit myself to the exact details shown or described, but that I intend-to include as part of my invention all such obvious changes and modifications of parts as would occur to a person skilled in thisart and as would fall Within the scope of, the claims. I

In the drawings:

Fig 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a fire box and adjoining portions of the boiler and furnace, showing my improved arch construction applied thereto;

Ifig, 2 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line +2 of s- Fig. 8 is aside elevation of one of the blocksemployed in my im roved arch con struction Fig, 4 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 5; is a, perspective view of one of the refractory pivot and key members forming a portion of my arch construct-ion,

Referringin detail to the drawings, my improved arch construction is shown as being applied to a fire box boiler 10 having a fire box 11 and having the supporting tubes 12 running longitudinally thereof from the flue sheet 13 to; the hQllQw front wall 14 of the boiler. My improved arch extends from one side wall 15 to" the other side wall 15 of the fire x- My improved arch comprises side members 16 of refractory material that may be made of any desired construction but which are shown inthe drawings as being of substantially the construction described and claimed in my accompanying application, Serial No. 67,915 filed November 9,' 19-25 (Case No. 6), intermediate blocks of refractory ma terial 17 and the key members 18. The

blocks or bricks 17 engage at one end thereof with the supportingmembers 12 and at the other end thereof with the interposed or key members 18. While this arch is shown as being mounted on the front portion of the supporting members 12 adjacent the flue sheet, I desire to have it distinctly under stood that my improved arch construction may be used in any arrangement of arch at any desired place in a fire box, the important feature involved being the construction of the blocks or b 'icks forming the central or intermediate portion of the arch and the relative relation of the same to each other and the supporting means.

The blocks 17 are shown more in detail in Figs. 3 and 4 and are provided with flat parallel upper and lower faces 19, the flat parallel side faces 20, and end faces which are provided with grooves or socket portions 21 which are preferably arcuate and bevelled portions 22 joining the grooved portions 21 and the flat faces 19.,

l/Vhile the specific form described above is preferred, the important feature of these blocks is that they are provided with grooves or socket portions in the ends thereof and that the corners-at opposite sides of said grooves or socket portions are cut away to provide considerable clearance between the blocks when they are in the position shown in Fig. 2. This is very important as it permits the expansion of the bricks or blocks 26 and also prevents the slag formed on the under side of the arch blocks or bricks from flowing toward the arch supporting tubes when in a molten condition, as it will be evident that the lowermost point of each. of the bricks or blocks is spaced from the sin porting tubes 12 thus causing the molten material to drip off at this lowermost point. This reduces the tendency of slag to accumulate between the supporting tubes and the refractory blocks and prevents binding of the same together due to said slag which is a frequent source of trouble as ordinarily this accumulation of slag causes the block to be fractured at the corner thereof when removed. This causes the relatively coarse textured interior of the refractory block or brick to be exposed and causes much more rapid deterioration thereof than would be the case if the relatively fine textured smooth outer surface of the brick or block remained in place.

Interposed between the blocks 17 are the blocks 18 shown in detail in Fig. 5. These have the convex or cylindrical outer surface 23 and the flat end walls 24-. which extend substantially at right angles to the axis of 18 serves as a key member and also as a pivot member as it will be clear that the member 17 canv turn on the tubes 12 and also on the members 18 due to the interengaging curved surfaces thereof. Moreover, due to the corners being bevelled or cut away as indicated at 22, there will be no interference with this action due to the shape of the blocks 17.

The size of the bricks or blocks 17 is preferably such that a pair thereof will be of such an extent that they will slightly more than span the space between the two adjacent sup porting tubes 12 so that when a pair of blocks or bricks 17 are placed in position. they form an inverted V like arched memher and present oppositely inclined surfaces to the fire. The bricks or blocks 18 are then positioned between the adjoining ends of the blocks 17 so as to key the same together and pivotally connect the same at their upper ends. Obviously, the same will also pivot at the lower ends on the tubes 12.

As the arch expands due to increase in temperature. the angle between adjoining blocks 17 will become more acute and as the temperature drops, the angle between adjoining blocks 17 will become more obtuse, thus the members 18 rise as the temperature rises and go down as the temperature drops. It is not absolutely essential that the tubes be exactly the same distance apart as the group of blocks comprising a pair of members 17 and a member 18 will fit between the tubes in such a manner as to form an arch of the desired stability even though there is considerable variation in the spacing of the tubes as this will merely cause avariation of the angle between the adjoining blocks 17 This avoids all cutting and trimming of the bricks or blocks and also prevents the dropping of the bricks or blocks out of position due to the vibration of the locomotive.

The provision of the spaces between the adjoining blocks due to the bevelled corners also prevents the adjoining blocks 17 from being cemented together from the conditions existing in fire boxes thus preventing the formation of a solid arch across the fire box and making it easy to remove the arch or portions thereof when necessary.

lVhile the members 17 turn on the tubes 12 as expansion and contraction takes place, this movement is relatively small compared with the movement that takes place where a flat arch is used. As in the case of a flat arch expansion and contraction causes the bricks to move crosswise of the tubes with the exertion of considerable pressure and as the fire clay in the bricks or blocks is very abrasive, considerable wear on the tubes results. Thus the use of my improved arch construction furthermore cuts down on the wear of the supporting tubes. The circulating water in the arch supporting tubes exerts a cooling influence on the portions of the arch bricks or blocks that bear thereon, while the remainder of said bricks or blocks are highly heated. This causes the bricks or blocks to tend to crack, especially, if they are under tension, where the bricks or blocks extend from one tube to the next adjoining tube. By using my construction, including a plurality of bricks or blocks between each adjoining pair of tubes, the individual bricks or blocks are relatively short and are accordingly much stronger.

In addition, due to the interposition of the key member or the third refractory block, the stresses are all compression which reduces the liability of cracking and, moreover, due to the fact that the bricks or blocks are always under compression, the tendency is to hold the same together even if cracked. Accordingly, they will not easily fall out of position. Spacing or supporting refractory blocks are provided at the lower end of the arch for spacing the same from the flue sheet 13 and for supporting the blocks or bricks lengthwise of the supporting members 12 so as to prevent sliding of the same down the tubes.

Having thus described my invention what I desire to claim and secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a fire arc-h construction, a pair of supporting members, a pair of refractory blocks supported each at one end by said supporting members and a refractory pivot member connecting said blocks at their adjoining ends, and closing the space between said blocks, said pivot member permitting a swinging movement of said blocks without changing the area of contact.

2. In a fire arch construction, a pair of supporting members, a pair of refractory blocks reversible end for end and top for bottom supported each at one end by said supporting members and a key-block interposed between the other ends of said refractory blocks.

In a fire arch construction, a pair of supporting members, a pair of refractory blocks supported each at one end by said supporting members and a key-block interposed between the other ends of said refractory blocks. said blocks being inclined relative to each other and said key-block connecting said members to permit swinging of said blocks to various relative angular positions during temperature changes thereof, without changing the area of contact between said key block and said blocks.

r. In a fire arch construction, a pair of supporting members, a pair of refractory blocks supported each at one end by said supporting members and having socket por tions at the other ends thereof and a keyblock interposed between the adjacent ends of said blocks and seated in said socket portions serving as a pivot for said blocks, so as to permit said blocks to vary the angular relationship between the same, without varying the area of contact between said key blockand said refractory blocks.

5. In a fire arch construction, a pair of supporting members, a pair of refractory blocks supported each at one end by one of said supporting members and having socket portions at the other ends thereof and a rounded key-block interposed between the adjacent ends of said refractory blocks and engaging said socket portions, said refractory blocks pivoting on said key block, without a change in the area of contact.

6. In a fire arch construction, a pair of supporting members, a pair of refractory blocks supported each at one end by one of said supporting members and having socket portions at the other ends thereof and a keyblock interposed between the adjacent ends of said refractory blocks, said key block closing the space therebetween and engaging said socket portions, the corners of said pair of blocks being cut away adjacent said socket portions, and said mounting between said key block and said refractory blocks permitting swinging movement of said refractory blocks without a change in the area of contact between said refractory blocks and said key block.

7. In a fire arch construction, a pair of supporting members, a pair of refractory blocks each having similarly grooved opposite ends, and a key-block, one end of each of said first blocks receiving one of said supporting members and the other end of each of said first blocks engaging with said keyblock.

8. In a fire arch construction, a pair of supporting members, a pair of refractory blocks each having concavely grooved ends, and a key-block, one end of each of said first blocks receiving one of said supporting members and the other end of each of said first blocks engaging with said key-block.

9. In a fire arch construction, a pair of supporting members, a pair of refractory blocks each having grooved ends, and a conveXly curved key-block, one end of each of said first blocks receiving one of said supporting members and the other end of each of said first blocks engaging with said keyblock.

10. In a fire arch construction, a pair of supporting members, a pair of refractory blocks each having grooved ends, and a refractory key and pivot member mounted between said blocks. the remote ends of each of said blocks receiving one of said supporting members.

'11. In a fire arch construction, a pair of supporting members, a pair of refractory blocks having plane parallel opposite faces, substantially centrally grooved ends and bevelled faces connecting said opposite faces With the grooved ends, one grooved end of each of said blocks receiving one of said supporting members and means pivotally connecting the other ends of said blocks, said bevelled faces permitting limited angular adjustment of said blocks relatively to each other Without causing direct contact between the blocks.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe 10 my name this 6th day of November A. 1)., 1925.

LYLE STOCKTON ABBOTT. 

